Jackson Is Said to Be Close to Rejoining Lakers as Coach

Phil Jackson at his last game, in 2011. “It’s Phil’s job,” a person monitoring the situation said.Credit
Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

Phil Jackson, the most decorated coach in N.B.A. history, appears to be on the verge of rejoining the Los Angeles Lakers, just 18 months after he drifted, a bit wearily, into retirement.

Jackson met at length with Lakers officials on Saturday, according to people monitoring the talks, and although no deal was consummated, they agreed on this much: The franchise wants Jackson back for a third tour, and Jackson wants to return.

All parties left believing that a reunion was likely, but they left themselves some wiggle room in case Jackson has second thoughts or unforeseen obstacles arise. Mostly, everyone wants a little time to mull things over before making an ironclad commitment.

Lakers officials are making contingency plans. They intend to interview at least three other candidates — Mike D’Antoni, Mike Dunleavy and Nate McMillan — in the next day or so. But the most likely outcome is that Jackson will soon be back on the Staples Center bench, sitting tall in his oversize chair and whistling with his fingers.

A final decision should come early this week. For now, Bernie Bickerstaff is the Lakers’ acting head coach, giving everyone time to determine the right parameters for Jackson’s return.

It is not yet clear how extensive a commitment Jackson will make, although it is expected to be no more than two or three years, given his age (67). It is possible that he will seek a reduction in travel or other daily commitments, to ease the toll on his body. It is likely that he will earn a bit less than the $12 million a year he commanded in his previous term.

But whatever Jackson requests, it will almost assuredly be granted. The Lakers may need him now more than ever, having fired his successor, Mike Brown, on Friday after a 1-4 start. Team officials expected much brisker results after packing the lineup with All-Stars over the summer, acquiring Dwight Howard and Steve Nash to play alongside Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.

The Lakers have always taken a championship-or-bust approach, but the urgency is greater now. Bryant is 34 and has indicated that he might retire in two years, after his current deal expires. Nash is 38, and Gasol 32. And Howard, who is viewed as the next face of the franchise, will be a free agent next summer.

Photo

A fan’s sign calling for the hiring of Phil Jackson at the Lakers’ game against the Warriors on Friday. For now, Bernie Bickerstaff is the Lakers’ coach.Credit
Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

The hope is that Jackson — who has 11 championship rings, 5 with the Lakers — can quickly forge a title contender with this group before the window slams shut. He has the firm backing of Bryant, who has played nearly his entire career under Jackson.

Speaking to reporters late Friday night, after the Lakers routed the Golden State Warriors, Bryant expressed enthusiasm for Jackson’s return and remorse over the way Jackson’s last stint ended — with the Lakers being swept in the 2011 playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks. Bryant was dealing with a debilitating knee condition at the time.

“You all know how I feel about Phil,” Bryant said. “One thing that’s always bothered me, his last year, I wasn’t able to give him my normal self because I was playing on one leg. He’s too great of a coach to go out that way.”

The Lakers have found Jackson difficult to replace. Rudy Tomjanovich, who succeeded Jackson in 2004, resigned halfway through his first season. Brown lasted just 71 games.

“A lot of this is really Phil’s fault,” Bryant said. “When it comes to basketball, he’s on a genius level. So it’s tough for anybody to step into those shoes afterward with players that were raised underneath that tutelage.”

When Jackson limped away in May 2011, he was coping with a variety of health concerns that had sapped his energy. He has since had surgery to repair knee and hip problems, and friends report that Jackson has regained his vigor. The competitive impulses apparently never waned. Jackson has been watching N.B.A. games, including the Lakers’, with keen interest.

But this unlikely reunion was made possible only by the Lakers’ sputtering start under Brown, and by a series of injuries. Bryant has been playing through a foot injury. Nash is out with a leg injury. The Lakers have also struggled to adapt to the Princeton offense installed by Brown’s lead assistant, Eddie Jordan.

If Jackson returns, he intends to bring back two of his longtime assistants, Kurt Rambis and Jim Cleamons, who are both available and have been in contact with him.

And, naturally, Jackson is expected to reinstall his beloved triangle offense, the read-and-react system that provided the template for 11 championships in Los Angeles and in Chicago.

A reporter asked Bryant whether reinstalling the offense, with new stars and no training camp, might pose a challenge. Bryant was incredulous.

“Are you doubting the Zen master?” he said.

A version of this article appears in print on November 11, 2012, on page SP1 of the New York edition with the headline: Jackson Is Said to Be Close To Rejoining Lakers as Coach. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe